“All guys is nice, you know? It’s…well, it was weird for me too at first, I guess, but it’s good. Once you relax—when Charles gets here—you’ll like it. It’s a good place.”
“I’m glad y’all are here.” He sipped his beer, glancing around. The bar was gorgeous—glass and lights and wood. The stools were comfortable, the music was there, but not loud.
Alan had been right—there was a lot of leather. Not on the couches like he’d thought, though. Alan had meant the men.
“If you have any questions—about anything—you can ask me. I had a lot. Sometimes I still have them.” Kacey picked up his beer.
“Oh, cool. I—everyone here is queer? I mean, it’s safe to be out?” It seemed fair to ask.
Kacey nodded. “Everyone here is queer. The labels vary, but they’re all under the rainbow. They’re also kinky, so this is the safest place you can be.”
“Excellent.” He had a lot of thoughts about that, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to dwell on any of it.
“Are you still doing all the stuff you were doing when you were working for Charles? Or did he hire someone else?”
“I’m doing it. It’s my pleasure, you know? And I want to make sure that things are done right.” He was the only one who could do that.
Kacey nodded. “That’s your thing, huh? That’s what you give him? Your service?”
He tilted his head. He’d never thought about it that way, but it made sense, maybe. “I want to make his life good. That makes my soul at peace.”
“That’s cool. That you figured that out. Peace was a lot more work for me. A lot.” Kacey shook his head and sipped his beer.
“I understand that.” Roper was kinky. Roper had a hard time finding anything…long-term. He thought part of that was intensity, maybe? He wasn’t intense. He had a bit of a temper, sure, but he wasn’t all intense.
“I ended up with River because I got in a fist fight with the wrong guy.” Kacey winked at him. “Or maybe it was the right guy, you know. Since it turned out good.”
“He looks at you like he really cares.” He meant it too. River watched Kacey like a hawk.
Kacey’s cheeks heated, and he nodded. “Yeah. He does. He did long before I did. He’s like that.”
He smiled, glancing around. It was a little odd—there were men kneeling on the floor, there were men dancing together, there were men in all types of clothing.
It didn’t seem like Mister Charlie’s type of thing, but what did he know?
“Ryder.” Mister Charlie’s hand landed on his shoulder, and he got a kiss on his cheek. “I’m sorry I’m late. Hello, Kacey.”
“Hello, Sir. I like your suit.”
Charles laughed and shrugged out of his jacket. “I’m a little overdressed, hm?”
“Never. Let me take your jacket, Sir. Is there somewhere I can hang this up safely, buddy?”
Kacey grinned at him. “There is. Come on; I’ll show you.”
“I’ll be right back,” he promised, and followed Kacey to a coat check room.
Charles loosenedhis tie and rolled up his sleeves as he watched Kacey lead Ryder off to the coat check, admiring Kacey’s mesh top. He’d only been in this club a couple of times; it was private and he neither had a membership nor did he feel he needed one.
River waved at him from a table across the club, and he waved back and headed that direction. He didn’t feel uncomfortable—men were men, and he actually enjoyed the diversity of relationships, but he couldn’t say he felt like he belonged here either.
He had questions, though, and this was a good place for them.
River stood and shook his head. “Welcome, friend. How are you, this fine night?”
He grinned and sank into a chair. “I just came from a meeting that was entirely too long and could have been an email. Thank you for looking after Ryder for me. I was afraid he’d be overwhelmed, but he seems to be in very good hands.”
“He was fine. Perhaps a little nervous.” River winked at him.